Engineering a Safer Patient Gantry Hoist Through Human-Centred Design
November marks UK Disability History Month, an opportunity to recognise the importance of accessibility, inclusion and removing barriers faced by disabled people. Engineering has an important role to play in supporting these aims, particularly in healthcare, where equipment must meet the needs of both patients and the professionals caring for them.
Cambridge Design Technology (CDT) has experience in bringing these considerations into medical device design. Its work on a patient gantry hoist demonstrates how structural engineering and human-centred design can come together to address the practical challenges of patient handling.
Improving stability through considered design
A key objective of the project was to improve stability over the existing design while maintaining a practical, flexible structure.
CDT undertook an anthropometric study based on a six-foot patient and carer, helping inform the design around human dimensions and the space required to work safely around the equipment.
Considering both the patient and carer is essential when designing patient handling equipment. The structure must provide support while allowing healthcare professionals to carry out their work effectively.
Validating the design through engineering analysis
The gantry was designed to accommodate a Safe Working Load (SWL) of 300kg, requiring careful consideration of the structure and how it would respond under loading.
CDT used Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to assess the proposed design against its structural requirements. This computer-based technique helps engineers evaluate stress and deformation, supporting informed design decisions before manufacture.
Combining this analysis with a flexible design approach allowed CDT to consider structural performance alongside the practical requirements of patient care.
Engineering with people in mind
Medical equipment must do more than meet technical specifications. Stability and strength are essential, but so too are accessibility, usability and the needs of the people interacting with it.
The patient gantry hoist illustrates how CDT combines engineering analysis with human-centred design, bringing together anthropometric studies, structural assessment and practical considerations to address a real-world healthcare challenge.
By putting people at the centre of the design process, engineers can help develop equipment that better supports the delivery of care.
Developing better medical devices
CDT combines product design, mechanical engineering and engineering analysis to help clients develop practical solutions to complex challenges.
If you’re developing a medical device or refining an existing design, find out more about CDT’s engineering capabilities.
